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Arsenal and Tottenham £21.5m summer target with four assists in 7-0 win

Long-linked with both Arsenal and Tottenham, Brazilian Bernard instead moved to Shakhtar Donetsk...and is beginning to prove what all the fuss was about.

Those fans hoping to see Brazilian midfielder Bernard in action against Manchester United last week were left disappointed.

Shakhtar Donetsk’s £21.5million summer signing sat on the substitutes’ bench until the 91st minute of last Wednesday’s Champions League match, and when he finally came on he touched the ball just once.

Linked with a host of Premier League clubs throughout the summer, the 21-year-old ultimately sprang something of a curveball by leaving Atletico Mineiro for a stint in the Ukraine. And it was a move that appeared to make even less sense after he made little impact in his first few appearances for his new side.

But that all changed on Saturday, when Bernard provided four assists in Shakhtar’s 7-0 win over a side ironically named Arsenal. Well, Arsenal Kyiv to be precise.

While Facundo Ferreyra took the headlines for his hat-trick, and Alex Teixeira grabbed a quick-fire brace, much of what was good in Shakhtar’s play came from Bernard.

Setting up the first two goals - for Ferreyra and Teixeira respectively - Bernard also provided assists for the sixth and seventh strikes, scored by Eduardo Da Silva and Ismaily.

While Arsenal fans signed an assist-king in the form of Mesut Ozil, Bernard is beginning to prove he can set up a chance or four of his own.

And while both the Gunners and Tottenham chose to sign alternatives who are proving to be every bit as exciting, Bernard is proving all the summer hype was justified.

Below you can see his impressive work and all seven goals from Saturday’s victory:

Vincent Ralph

After graduating with a degree in English Literature, Vincent completed a NCTJ-accredited qualification in newspaper and magazine journalism in 2005. He has worked for HITC for four years and is now Head of Editorial and Journalist Standards.